FAQs

Complaints may be reported using our Code Violation Report form. When filing a report, be sure to include the following information:

• Address, telephone number, and email of the person making the complaint;
• A clear description of the alleged violation;
• Address of the alleged violation and the name of the alleged violator (if known);
• Any other pertinent information (such as photos or plans)

For Construction Noise Complaints:

• Time and date stamped photos and/or video proof of violation as it occurs is required.

For non-emergency complaints:

• Report police matters to the King County Sheriff's Office. Report complaints online or to their 24-hour communications line at (206) 296-3311.

No. Complaints submitted to the City constitute a public record and may be subjected to disclosure under the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56).

Your contact information is also required so you can be apprised of the investigation process and provide further information as needed.

Site Visit

After receiving a complaint, a Code Compliance Officer visits the property to see if there is a violation. If we do not find a violation, the Officer closes the case with no further action.

Notice to Comply

The Officer will issue a Notice to Comply if a violation is found. This informs the property owner and/or the person responsible for the violation.

A Notice to Comply includes:

• A description of the violation
• The code violated
• A deadline to comply
• What must be done to resolve the violation voluntarily

The property owner/violator may be given time to fix the problem before being penalized. This depends on the type of violation. Violations that are underway when an Officer visits the property will result in a "Stop Work Order" being issued. 

Deadlines are based on timeframes met by a typical permit applicant to complete tasks. Alternatively, the Code Compliance Officer may determine a reasonable timeframe to correct the violation.

Follow-up Inspection

A follow-up inspection will occur on or after the deadline in the Notice to Comply. The case can be closed if compliance has been met and verified by the Code Compliance Officer.

Further Review

If the property owner/violator fails to meet the deadline, you may be able to request an extension in writing. If the violation is not corrected in a reasonable amount of time, it may be reviewed by the City Attorney's office. We will continue to conduct inspections, and fines will accumulate until the matter is resolved.

The person responsible for the violation must make a request for a time extension in writing. The request must establish a clear need for a time extension or modification of the original conditions.

The Code Compliance Officer may grant a time extension for correcting a violation or modify the conditions for corrective action, if:

• Unforeseen circumstances delayed correction under the original conditions; and
• The person responsible has shown due diligence or made substantial progress towards correcting the violations.

On-street parking violations are addressed by the King County Sheriff's Office. These include abandoned vehicles, RVs on the street, and parking on sidewalks. Contact the King County Sheriff's 24-hour communications line at (206) 296-3311, or report online (for non-emergency crimes).

Contact Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) for suspicion of animal abuse, animal hoarding, or noisy animals.